Executive biographies
Todd F. Swortzel
President and Chief Executive Officer
John Burns
Chief Operating Officer
Robert Landsman
Vice President of Finance
Dr. Peter Jaggard, M.D.
Vice President of Medical Affairs
Bob Werdan
Vice President of Marketing and Public Relations
Teresa Bebout
Vice President of Human Resources
Nadim Abi-Antoun
Vice President of Information Services
Keith Stohlgren
Vice President and Executive Director
Westminster Place, King Home, Ten Twenty Grove
The Neighborhood Homes
David L. Benni
Vice President and Executive Director
The Moorings of Arlington Heights
President and Chief Executive Officer
Todd F. Swortzel is president and chief executive officer of Presbyterian Homes. Mr. Swortzel joined Presbyterian Homes in January 2011. He served as president and CEO of Baptist Homes Society, Inc. (BHS) in Pittsburgh, PA, from 2002 until joining Presbyterian Homes. Baptist Homes Society operates two continuing care retirement communities (CCRC) and a supporting foundation. Mr. Swortzel oversaw organizational growth there that included the doubling of the number of associates employed, and the tripling of annual revenues and the number of residents served.
During his tenure, he led BHS in the planning, developing, marketing and opening of Providence Point, a new CCRC on a 32-acre campus in the South Hills of Pittsburgh. He also managed BHS through its first CCAC/CARF accreditation and heightened foundation support by developing a successful grant-writing program and enhancing special-event fundraising.
Before becoming CEO of Baptist Homes Society, Mr. Swortzel was executive director from 1997 through 2002 of Virginia Baptist Homes, a multi-site provider operating four CCRCs in Virginia. From 1994 to 1997, he was executive director of Culpeper Baptist Retirement Community in Culpeper, VA.
Mr. Swortzel holds a master of science in Health Administration from the Medical College of Virginia at Virginia Commonwealth University and a bachelor of business administration from Averett University.
“Creating vibrant retirement communities, which allow residents and employees to thrive, is my passion,” says Mr. Swortzel. “Presbyterian Homes is well known for excellence and the quality of its communities. I am very excited to contribute to its continued leadership in senior living services and innovation.”
Chief Operating Officer
John Burns is chief operating officer of Presbyterian Homes and provides leadership to all campus operations, medical affairs, and home and community-based services. Currently, he is serving also as interim executive director of Lake Forest Place. Mr. Burns joined Presbyterian Homes in 2007 as executive director of Westminster Place in Evanston and was later named a corporate vice president.
Prior to joining Presbyterian Homes, Mr. Burns had been chief operating officer at Colombia County Health System in Dayton, WA, which includes Dayton General Hospital, family clinics and long-term care for older adults. Before that, he held multiple management positions at Centura Health, Colorado's largest family of hospitals and health care services.
Mr. Burns has more than 18 years experience in complex health care organizations with particular focus on financial and organizational operations, strategic solutions, performance improvement and customer service. Mr. Burns was born and raised in Newport Beach, CA. He completed his undergraduate degree in business administration at Colorado State University in Fort Collins, CO. He holds an MBA from the University of Colorado at Denver and an associate's degree in occupational therapy.
On what most attracted him to Presbyterian Homes, Mr. Burns said, "I began my career in senior care, where the reputation of Presbyterian Homes in the Chicago area was well known in the industry. I later moved into the hospital environment, but find senior care most compelling for its ability to make a meaningful difference."
Mr. Burns is a member of the American College of Healthcare Executives and is a member of the Healthcare Financial Management Association. He lives with his wife and two children in Gurnee.
Vice President of Finance
Robert Landsman is vice president of Presbyterian Homes and its senior financial officer. During the search in 2010 by the Presbyterian Homes Board of Directors for a new president, Mr. Landsman served as interim president and chief executive officer. He joined the organization as vice president of finance in January 2002.
Mr. Landsman started his business career in 1964 in the Chicago office of Ernst & Young LLP, where he progressed through the ranks to become an audit partner in 1978. He transferred to the Houston, Texas office in 1989 where he served as partner in charge of audit and business consulting services to health care industry clients until his retirement in 1991. Returning to Chicago, Mr. Landsman worked at West Suburban Hospital Medical Center in Oak Park for 10 years, nine years as Chief Financial Officer and one year as acting Chief Executive Officer.
Upon joining Presbyterian Homes, Mr. Landsman observed that there were a great number of similarities between the health care industry and not-for-profit continuing care retirement communities. He cited his experience in tax-exempt financing, financial reporting, operating systems and procedures, Medicare reimbursement, budgeting, business planning and financial forecasting as skills he would be able to draw on to enhance the overall operations of Presbyterian Homes.
Mr. Landsman was born and raised in the Chicago area. He received his bachelor of science in commerce from DePaul University in 1962, at which time he also was commissioned a Lieutenant in the United States Army artillery. He is a C.P.A., a Fellow in the Life Management Institute, and a member of the Healthcare Financial Management Association, the American Institute of CPA’s and the Illinois CPA Society.
Vice President of Medical Affairs
In mid-2008, Presbyterian Homes named Dr. Peter Jaggard, M.D., a board-certified internist, certified medical director and geriatrician, as its new vice president of medical affairs.
Dr. Jaggard began as an attending physician at Presbyterian Homes’ Westminster Place and King Home in 1983. He remained there until 2003 when he then became a full-time staff physician at Westminster Place and medical director of Lake Forest Place.
Dr. Jaggard graduated in 1979 from New Jersey Medical School.He did his internship and residency at Evanston Hospital where he became the chief attending physician from 1982-1983. Dr. Jaggard maintained a separate internal medicine practice for 20 years until he accepted additional responsibilities at Presbyterian Homes and devoted his full time there.
"The increased complexity of medical conditions in geriatrics challenges us to apply the science of medicine. The increased frailty of older adults living longer lives challenges us to practice the art of medicine. We work with the patient and family to choose those technologies that are appropriate and care options that best reflect the patient's needs and wishes," says Dr. Jaggard. “I am very pleased to be in a health care leadership role at Presbyterian Homes. This organization is a great place to practice medicine because of its commitment to person-centered care.”
Recently, Dr. Jaggard obtained an MA in Christian Thought with an emphasis on bioethics from Trinity International University. He is often called to speak on end-of-life care, bioethics and geriatrics. Dr. Jaggard lives with his wife and three children in Winnetka.
“We are delighted to have Dr. Peter Jaggard as our vice president of medical affairs. His experiences and passion for quality are what make him a special leader of our health care staff," said Todd Swortzel, president and CEO of Presbyterian Homes.
Vice President of Marketing and Public Relations
Robert A. Werdan joined Presbyterian Homes as director of sales and marketing for Lake Forest Place in 1994. He was appointed vice president of sales and marketing in January 1999. Werdan supervises a staff of more than a dozen sales and marketing professionals at five retirement community campuses.
Originally hired for his experience in pre-marketing and start-up experience in senior housing, Mr. Werdan led the precedent-setting level of sales and move-ins to Presbyterian Homes’ Lake Forest Place, a 49-acre continuing retirement community in Lake Forest, Illinois. He pre-marketed the $125 million retirement community and the majority of units were sold from floor plans in the first six months of marketing.
Mr. Werdan was instrumental in uncovering and bringing the opportunity to acquire The Moorings of Arlington Heights to Presbyterian Homes in 2000. He brought his experience to the success of The Moorings by structuring the pre-sale marketing of 22 state-of-the-art villas. With similar expertise, he developed the pre-sale marketing and sales of Two Arbor Lane, a 24-unit luxury retirement residence on Westminster Place campus in Evanston. Both projects were fully pre-sold prior to the commencement of construction.
Having worked for two major for-profit companies in the senior housing industry, Mr. Werdan says “I’ve come to truly understand and appreciate the value of working for an organization of the stature of Presbyterian Homes.” He went on to say, “Presbyterian Homes answers to a different mission and a different bottom line, one that evokes passion in the employees. We put the independence of our residents above all else. I take great satisfaction in knowing we’re doing the right thing every day.”
Mr. Werdan has extensive experience in marketing to older adults, including twelve years with Marriott Senior Living Services and Classic Residence by Hyatt. A graduate of Southern Illinois University, he is a two-term past president and eight-year board member of the Lake Forest/Lake Bluff Chamber of Commerce.
Vice President of Human Resources
Teresa Bebout joined Presbyterian Homes in 2002 as vice president of human resources from a similar position with Friendship Village of Schaumburg.
At Presbyterian Homes, Ms. Bebout has human resources responsibility for all of the communities under the corporate umbrella, totaling about 1,200 employees. This broad spectrum of human resources functions includes recruitment and selection; employee relations; benefits and compensation administration; training and development; and labor law.
In 2003, Ms. Bebout directed a six-month installation project of a new payroll/human resources information system. After retiring an old legacy payroll system, the new application is a shared database with a human resources front end and a time-keeping component.
When asked what most attracted her to Presbyterian Homes, Ms. Bebout says, “I was attracted to Presbyterian Homes by the loyalty and dedication of its staff. The Presbyterian Homes’ culture has been built in countless small ways on a daily basis for 100 years. The CEO’s interactions with others, the values displayed by supervisors, long-term employees who become role models for new hires—all help to establish this organization’s norms in terms of what is valued and how things are done. When employees choose Presbyterian Homes, they choose an atmosphere and a heritage.”
Ms. Bebout also cites a variety of educational opportunities available to employees at Presbyterian Homes, especially English as a Second Language, benefiting approximately 25% of its diverse workforce. In addition, there are several scholarship programs for professional and educational development.
Prior to her service with Friendship Village, Ms. Bebout held professional positions with a variety of health-care related organizations, including Lakeland Health Ventures of Highland Park Hospital, Lake Forest Physician Services, the Boice-Willis Clinic in North Carolina, Coastal Plain Hospital and Community Hospital, also in North Carolina. Ms. Bebout received a Bachelor of Science degree from Ball State University in 1979 and earned a Masters in Business Administration from Campbell University in 1991. She is a member of the Society for Human Resource Management.
Vice President of Information Services
Nadim Abi-Antoun is vice president of information services. He is responsible for strategic planning to achieve business goals with specific responsibility for coordinating Presbyterian Homes' efforts to evaluate and test emerging technology useful to older adults. He is also responsible for the selection, evalution, planning, implementation and maintenance of technology solutions throughout the Presbyterian Homes communities.
Mr. Abi-Antoun's charter further includes the implementation of a system-wide electronic medical records solution to consolidate and convert resident records to an electronic format, easily accessible and shared across different health care settings. This initiative will improve the quality of care for Presbyterian Homes residents by consolidating the data and converting it into useful information for care providers.
Previously, Mr. Abi-Antoun was senior director of information technology at CJE Senior Life where he rolled out electronic medical records and upgraded infrastructure and technology throughout the organization. His experience also includes managing technology workflow and operations optimization through the implementation of corporate systems in the telecommunications industry.
Mr. Abi-Antoun was born in the United States and raised in Lebanon. He lives in Chicago with his wife and son.
Vice President and Executive Director
Westminster Place
King Home,
Ten Twenty Grove
The Neighborhood Homes
Keith Stohlgren is vice president and executive director of Westminster Place, an accredited Presbyterian Homes continuing care retirement community of more than 500 residents and a similar number of employees.He is also vice president and executive director of King Home, an assisted living community of approximately 60 residents, and Ten Twenty Grove, a 45-unit independent living apartment residence in downtown Evanston. Mr. Stohlgren additionally has responsibility for The Neighborhood Homes affordable housing residences in Chicago and Great Opportunities Adult Day Services in Skokie.
Mr. Stohlgren joined Presbyterian Homes in 1993 as director of facilities management. In 1997, he was named vice president of operations for the Westminster Place campus in Evanston. He was named vice president and executive director of Lake Forest Place in 2006 where he remained until 2011.
In reflecting on his key accomplishment as an administrator, Mr. Stohlgren points to the Presbyterian Homes staff's ability to maintain high resident satisfaction. "Our facilities are beautifully maintained," said Mr. Stohlgren. "And our employees strive to exceed residents' expectations for high-quality services. I am proud of what they accomplish every day."
According to Mr. Stohlgren, Presbyterian Homes' commitment to "pursuing a mission, not a profit" is what distinguishes it from other senior living and health care providers. "We must be well managed, budget wisely and maintain fiscal soundness," he states, "but our bottom line is about serving the mission instead of shareholders." He adds, "We are fortunate to have a board of directors consisting of very intelligent and resourceful individuals who care deeply about Presbyterian Homes and our residents. It's an approach that has worked well for 100 years."
Mr. Stohlgren graduated with a B. S. in construction engineering from Iowa State University. He holds a M.S. degree in management from J. L. Kellogg Graduate School of Management, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL. He received his nursing home administrator's license in 1999. Prior to his employment at Presbyterian Homes, he worked as a senior project manager for a private construction firm.
Vice President and Executive Director
The Moorings of Arlington Heights
Dave Benni was named vice president and executive director of The Moorings of Arlington Heights in 2011. With over 300 employees, The Moorings serves the retirement and health care needs of more than 450 residents. The Moorings includes independent living apartments and villas, a skilled and intermediate health care center, assisted living and rehabilitation services.
Mr. Benni began his career with the organization in 1986 as executive director of King Home in downtown Evanston. In 1991, he assumed executive management of Ten Twenty Grove, an apartment residence for independent older adults across the street from King Home.
In 1998, Mr. Benni took over the responsibilities of the senior management of the Neighborhood Homes program and in 2003, he added the oversight of the Neighborhood Homes Without Walls. Both of these benevolent projects, launched and operated by Presbyterian Homes, are designed to help make housing more affordable for older adults.
In reflecting on his career with Presbyterian Homes, Benni notes that the major renovation of King Home is a project that he views with a great sense of satisfaction. "We took a very outdated facility with few amenities and turned it into a warm, traditional environment, which receives raves by residents and guests who visit King Home," explains Mr. Benni. "The renovation was a critical component to the continued success of the long-standing King Home mission."
He is also pleased with the success of Ten Twenty Grove. Mr. Benni observes, "We were able to accomplish the blending of this unique independent community in an urban setting into the overall operations of King Home and Westminster Place. I'm also proud that Ten Twenty Grove provides a sense of community and family to the residents who live there."
As a longtime member of Presbyterian Homes' administrative team, he remarks on the organization's willingness to change and grow, making room for fresh ideas. "Presbyterian Homes as an organization provides a working environment for new ideas, no matter what your position or level," Mr. Benni says. "This also applies to the organization's ability to listen to the residents. Continuing care retirement communities need to change and evolve in order to stay viable in the future. I think the executive staff and the board of directors work hard to create this environment."
Mr. Benni spent the first fourteen years of his career in the food services industry, including nine years with Stouffers. He managed food services in hospitals, nursing homes, public and private cafeterias, executive dining rooms and private clubs. He received his bachelor's in marketing from Northern Illinois University in DeKalb.
Mr. Benni served on the board of directors of the Evanston Chamber of Commerce and on the board of directors of Life Services Network (LSN), an association of not-for-profit Illinois retirement homes. At LSN he held the position of treasurer and took part in numerous committees.